


Premonitions

by Illusiory



Category: Hamlet - Fandom, Shakespeare - Fandom
Genre: Modern Hamlet, Prelude
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-05-30
Packaged: 2018-01-27 14:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1713395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illusiory/pseuds/Illusiory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern prelude-type thing to Shakespeare's Hamlet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Premonitions

“Man, that lecturer was so totally drunk,” Horatio laughed as he and Hamlet walked through the halls of Wittenberg University.

                “You’re probably right,” Hamlet replied, his voice distant. His gaze swooped lazily from his friend to the windows, through which he could see the courtyard. Some of the more active students were playing football, their voices and laughter carrying across the dying grass. “I wasn’t really paying attention. I had… other stuff on my mind.”

Hamlet had been seeing his father everywhere. He’d see him just for a second; always some distance away, his suit perfect, his gaze forlorn… and then something would interrupt his view and the apparition would disappear. There was no way his father would be here – he was at home in Denmark, managing his company. So why was Hamlet seeing him everywhere?

                “Hamlet, look out!” Horatio called, waking Hamlet from his thoughts just in time for him to avoid the rubbish bin he’d about to run into. “What’s wrong with you today?” his friend asked, worry in his dark eyes.

                “It’s fine, I keep seeing -” he took a breath, “- it’s fine. My imagination’s just running a bit crazy,”

                “Well try not to doze off,” Horatio play-scolded, whacking him on the shoulder with his ethics folder, “you’ve got that philosophy exam coming up. What’s it worth? Thirty per cent? Thirty-five?”

                “Forty,” Hamlet replied sullenly, his satchel suddenly feeling like it weighed a tonne. Something else felt heavy too; his heart seemed low in his chest, as though something bad was going to happen.

                “Study time then, huh?” Horatio suggested, oblivious to Hamlet’s odd expression. He jogged off in the direction of their dorm, Hamlet trailing behind like a lost shadow.

                They’d barely gotten back to their room when the strap of Hamlet’s satchel broke. Paper flew everywhere, and the thick ‘History of Philosophy’ textbook fell on Horatio’s foot.

                “Shit! Shitshitshitshit,” Horatio grunted, hopping over to a chair, both hands clasped around his foot. He sat down hard, rubbing his foot and scowling at Hamlet.

                “God, I’m sorry –“ Hamlet began, but froze when he saw the apparition of his father standing in the doorway. It nodded slowly, gravely, before turning and striding out into the corridor. Hamlet rushed to the door and looked out, but there was no sign of his dad. He stayed in the doorway looking left and right for a while, but it didn’t reappear. He almost jumped out of his skin when his mobile started ringing, vibrating loudly against the top of his chest of drawers. He ignored the strange look Horatio was giving him at reached for his phone, checking the caller ID before putting it to his ear. “Hi mum,” he mumbled, still looking around the room.

“Oh, Hamlet…” his mother’s speech came through the tiny speaker distorted, but he could still hear the waver in her voice.

“Mum? What’s wrong?” he felt that weight in his chest again, accompanied by the soft thumping of his heart in his ears.

“Your father, he…” she trailed off, and Hamlet heard a soft sob.

“What? What’s happened?” he asked. Horatio frowned and got to his feet, standing close to Hamlet to try and listen in.

“Your father’s dead.”

Hamlet’s world froze. His vision blurred as tears filled his eyes, and through the haze he saw his father in front of him; a soft, sad look on his grave features. It looked at him meaningfully before fading out of existence. 


End file.
